The Underdog
by new moonfull moon
Summary: Inuyasha has suffered through more in his childhood than most in their lives. Now an event occurs that causes a mental break down. Who will be there to catch him when he falls?
1. Like Old Times

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha. I also do not own any lyrics used. This applies to the entire story.**

"You guys need another break! We just took one when we stopped for lunch!" Inuyasha complained. It was true they had stopped for lunch but that was hours ago. Everyone but Inuyasha was tired for they had just finished going up and through a large mountain.

"Not everyone here is a demon Inuyasha! Humans like us need rest! So give us a break already!" Kagome argued from her spot on the grass.

"There's no time for rest! Who knows what Naraku's up to! It's not like we've seen him lately!" Inuyasha retorted.

In fact they hadn't seen Naraku for quite some time now. It must have been months since their last encounter so it was no wonder that Inuyasha was starting to get antsy. Along with no Naraku there had been really no demon encounters what so ever. So all the pent up energy was starting to take its toll on him.

Kagome sighed. "How about a compromise then? Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, and I will take a break and stay here. While we're relaxing you can go take a run. See if you pick up anything. We'll be right here when you get back."

Now normally Inuyasha would have protested to leaving the group alone but not having a good fight in months was starting toget tohim. All the nervous energy made him extremelyimpatient and jittery. "Well if you're sure…"

"Don't worry. We'll be fine now get going." Kagome waved him off.

Inuyasha looked at the forest in the distance with anticipation then back at the group. After a quick run through with his sense he determined that there was no danger nearby. In no time flat he was sprinting through the forest.

Inuyashamade his way through the forest, leaping from branch to branch. Releasing all the pent up energy he had. After what seemed like hours he come to a stop in a field. There he sat downtrying to relax and think.

Before Inuyasha could even comprehend that he wasn't alone he was attacked from behind. He soon found himself on the ground with his arms and legs bounded. This brought back memories of when Miroku and the Old Hag did it to him after he pushed Kagome down the well. "What the he-!"

His declaration was cut off as a quick and forceful kick landed in his gut. Successfully knocking the wind out of him.

"Shut your mouth half-breed!"

Inuyasha was momentarily shocked into silence. Then his voice came back. "Who the hell do you think you are! I don't take orders from any-!"

What felt like a staff was brought down on his side. Right where his ribs were located. "I said silence you impure piece of filth! You don't deserve to have our blood running through you!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened as a floodgate of memories let loose. After his mother's death he was shunned out of his village. He wondered, looking for a place to stay even for just a night. But in every place he was shunned, beaten, yellingwords and insults that no one should have to hear. What was that phrase?'Sticks and stones may break my bones but word's can never hurt me?' That was a lie.The words hurt more than any physical injury.One place went so far as to throw rotting fruit at him. He was only five then.

No he wasn't going back to that! He wouldn't!

Inuyasha struggled against his binds. Even though he knew it was no use for the bindings were laced with magic that wasmeant to bind demons. He screamed and yelled obscenities. Trying to choke back the panic he felt.

The ambushers laughed at him. "The mongrel's not only a freak he's stupid too! If he had any comprehension in that inferior mind of his he would know that he can't get out!"

Another blow was landed, this time on his chest.

"Did you really expect a mutt like him to understand?"

Inuyasha was starting to lose it. He was that little boy again. The one who spent his childhood trying to get by on his own. The one whose mother and father died protecting him. After they left he had no one. The panic and fear he thought he left behind when he grew up was back. It was creeping through his body. Spreading like a wild fire.

One of the attackers bent down to his eye level. "What the matter? You scared?"

The other one bent down so he could also make eye contact. "He was all alone. Hey mutt where's your friends? Your family?"

His companion laughed. "Like anyone would want to be friend with a half blood mongrel like him! You know what? I bet he was a mistake! His parents didn't want him. They probably left him as soon as he was born."

He was that little boy now. Alone and scared. So when the blow to the head came he welcomed the darkness.

"Hey let's take him back with us. Make an example of what happens to unwanted filth." The men then dragged him to their village.

That's right demons had not attacked Inuyasha. No. Humans attacked him. He could deal with poison. He could deal with demons more than twice his size. He could even deal with family that wants him dead. The one thing he could not deal with however was humans. There were so many bad connections there.

_"Don't laugh at me, don't call me names  
Don't get your pleasure from my pain  
In God's eyes we're all the same  
some day we'll all have perfect Wings  
Don't laugh at me"_

_- Don't Laugh at Me: Mark Wills_


	2. Pleasure From My Pain

"Hey guys I'm starting to get worried about Inuyasha. Do you think he's okay?" Kagome asked as she kept looking over her shoulder. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Inuyasha.

"I'm sure he's fine Kagome. You shouldn't worry." Miroku commented as he started cooking dinner.

"Inuyasha probably just got caught up with something. He'll more than likely be here any minute." Sango tried to calm down her friend.

Kagome stood up suddenly. She just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. "Sango can I borrow Kirara?" Seeing the looks her companions were giving her she explained herself. "I'll be right back. I just want to see if I can find him. Please? I…I just have this feeling."

Sango held up a hand. "You don't have to explain. Go ahead just be careful."

Kagome threw her friend a small smile. "Thank you Sango."

In no time Kagome was on Kirara's back and running through the forest. Kagome searched franticly for her red clad friend. After a few hours of searching and not finding him Kagome was becoming desperate. Then she spotted some smoke.

'Must be a village…hey! Maybe they've seen Inuyasha!'

So she had Kirara rush in that direction. Little by little the village started to make its appearance and Kagome's hope was rising. Finally it was in full view. Kagome jumped off of Kirara and scanned the area quickly, when out of the corner of her she saw red. Hope reached its peak as she turned her head expatiating to see Inuyasha.

She found him.

Kagome's heart dropped into her stomach. She had found Inuyasha but not how she wanted to. Magic scrolls bound his feet and hands. Rope had him hanging in a tree by his wrists. He was an utter mess. His hair had mud and sticks in it. He was covered in mud, blood, and what looked like fruit. She could see some apparent wounds on his face and the blood seeping through his clothes indicated more serious injuries. He also appeared to be unconscious.

Fumbling with her bow and arrow she managed to string and shoot. The arrow shot straight and cut through the rope. Releasing him from the suspension and letting him fall. "Kirara!"

The flaming cat rushed and caught the falling hanyou before he hit the ground. Turning around she rushed back to Kagome. Kagome did a quick check over of Inuyasha. Her panic and fear was rising. Inuyasha looked to beaten and helpless that it brought tears to her eyes.

"What do you think your doing!"

Kagome whirled around at the sound of voices. The village must have heard her yell and had decided to come out to find the problem. "Girl I asked you what you were doing! Now answer me!"

"Helping my friend! He's gravely injured! Can I have some bandages to wrap his wounds please? He needs help!" Kagome pleaded.

The man who Kagome guessed was the leader looked at Inuyasha before responding. "We're not wasting anything on a worth less mutt. He deserved what he got and if given the chance we'd do it again."

Kagome looked at the crowd in horror. "You did this to him! How could you! He didn't do anything to hurt you! Why would you do such a thing!"

"He was born that was reason enough!"

"He's a bastard son who doesn't deserve the human blood that keeps him alive!"

"He's a freak of nature!"

Now Kagome was getting angry turning to he crowd she let them have it. "You attacked him because he's hanyou! What kind of half assed excuse is that! You have no right to judge him! You don't even know him! This is the kind of example you're going to set for you children? If it's different then kill it! It's people like you who bring disgrace to human blood not hanyou's!"

Kagome then hopped on top of Kirara and raced back to the campsite.

**At the Camp**

"Miroku? Sango? Now I'm starting to get worried. Both Kagome and Inuyasha are still missing." Shippo said.

"Shippo I'm su-" Anything Miroku was going to say was cut off as Kirara dropped in on the campsite with a badly bleeding Inuyasha on her back.

Kagome jumped off of Kirara. Grabbing a bucket he ran toward the river. Calling over her shoulder, "Guys help Inuyasha the best you can! Try to make him comfortable and stop the bleeding! I'll be right back with the water."

When Kagome got back she was angry to find that the group had backed away from Inuyasha. "What are you guys doing! He need medical help now!"

"We tried lady Kagome but he won't let us near him! After you left he woke up and lashed out at us! If we didn't step back we would have been seriously hurt!" Miroku defended themselves.

Kagome then turned her attention to Inuyasha and gasped.

Inuyasha was still bound and bleeding but he looked like he wasn't going to let anyone near him. He bared his fangs and snarled at them. His ears were pinned to the top of his head and he was lashing about.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome took an attentive step forward. "…Inuyasha?"

"Get away! Don't touch me!" Inuyasha cried.

Kagome's heart was breaking seeing Inuyasha like this. She slowly made her way forward. "Inuyasha. Listen to me I want to help you but I need you to calm down."

Inuyasha's eyes locked with Kagome's. They were full of fear and hurt. "No just leave me alone! Please go away!"

Kagome's hand slowly reached out towards the poor boy. "…. Inuyasha."

"Don't hit me please! Just don't hit me!" Inuyasha flinched away from her hand. "How do you know my name! Who are you!"

While Kagome's heart ache for him. Something was really wrong. He didn't know who they were but none of that mattered right now. Their biggest problem was getting him calm so that they could work on his wounds.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome's hand was getting closer. Inuyasha's eyes widened in panic and fear. His eyes darted back and forth, looking for an escape. Finding none he turned back to Kagome and bit down on her hand.

Tears instantly sprung to Kagome's eyes. Inuyasha's fangs pierced the skin and drew blood. The rest of the group would have rushed in to Kagome's aid if she didn't speak up. "Don't! I need you guys to go away for a while. He might feel less panicked if it were only me."

They left reluctantly and with some pleading on Kagome's part.

Once they left Kagome turned her attention back to Inuyasha. He was still holding on with a death grip and he was also starting to leak tears. 'He's just frightened. I have to get him to relax.'

Kagome carefully used the hand that Inuyasha wasn't biting and unbound his feet. "Inuyasha I'm not going to hurt you. Please let go. I just want to help you. I promise you'll be fine."

While she murmured comfort to him she managed to unbind his wrists. That just left the teeth that where still in Kagome's hand. She started stroking his hair as she talked. "I promise nothings going to hurt you. Please just trust me."

Inuyasha's grip slowly released his grip until his teeth were completely removed. His right arm wrapped around Kagome's waist. He then dropped his head down to her chest and cried. Kagome rubbed his back as he cried himself to sleep.

_"Don't laugh at me, don't call me names  
Don't get your pleasure from my pain  
In God's eyes we're all the same  
some day we'll all have perfect Wings  
Don't laugh at me"_

_- Don't Laugh at Me: Mark Wills_


	3. Discovering

**Regression**: a defense mechanism in which you flee from reality by assuming a more infantile state.

* * *

As soon as Kagome was sure that Inuyasha was in fact asleep she called the group over to help her dress his wounds. It took a while to detach Inuyasha from Kagome's waist but once they had it went by rather quickly. He was no longer in critical condition and all he needed was rest.

Seeing that Inuyasha was going to be okay Kagome decided to make a quick trip to the hot springs that were nearby. After she was washed clean of the blood and grim she climbed out and started dressing herself. Just as she finished dressing she hear something that had her racing to back to the campsite.

What Kagome had heard was Sango and Miroku calling her back to the site. Inuyasha had woken up and didn't seem to recognize anyone and had backed himself up against a tree. If anyone came near his he would either flinch back or try to scare them away. That was how it looked when Kagome rushed into the campsite.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Kagome questioned.

Hearing Kagome's voice Inuyasha glanced over in her direction. Once he caught sight of her he scurried on over and hid behind her back. It was very much like how a little kid hides behind his mother's skirt when he's feeling shy or frightened. Now if the situation wasn't so serious they might have laughed at the whole thing. Here was Inuyasha who was a good head taller than Kagome and hiding behind her.

Kagome glanced over at the hanyou that was behind her and back at the group in front of her. She was utterly confused. "What happened here?"

"He woke up and when we went over to see how he was he freaked. I think he thought that we were going to hurt him. So we yelled for you to come and calm him down." Miroku explained.

"What's wrong with Inuyasha? Doesn't he recognize us?" Shippo asked from Sango's shoulder.

"I don't think he does. Though Kagome seems to have been able to form a connection with him. Do you know what's wrong with him?" Sango turned to Kagome and asked her.

Kagome seemed thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "Why don't you guys make camp somewhere else tonight? I'll talk to him and try to find out what he knows. Then maybe later I can reintroduce you guys to him."

Seeing as no one else had a suggestion they did as they were told. After they were gone from sight Kagome tuned around to face Inuyasha. She sat down on the ground and Inuyasha imitated her. "Hi Inuyasha. Do you know who I am?"

He just shook his head.

"I'm Kagome. Do you know who those people were? The ones you saw when you woke up?"

Once again he shook his head.

"Well then why don't you tell me a little about yourself? Your life.Will you do that for me?"

Inuyasha shook his head and opened his mouth to speak. "I'm Inuyasha and I'm seven. My mother just dieda little while ago.I never knew my father, butmother used to tell me lots of stories about him. How he was a great deamon lord and how he was so poweful! I think I have a brother toobut I've never met him before so I'm not sure."

Kagome managed to hide her shock at the hanyou's response. "I'm sorry for the lose ofyour mother Inuyasha. I'm sure she was a wonderful woman. I bet you really miss her."

"Yeah. She was the only one who was ever really nice to me. The people in the place I used to live wouldn't play with me. They exclude me from their game with the ball. They said something about me being a half-breed. You won't do that will you?" Inuyasha asked her.

"No I won't. Where are you staying now?" Kagome questioned.

He shrugged.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "You don't have anywhere to stay?"

He shook his head.

"Well why don't you stay with me? It won't be a problem and I have a few friends I want you to meet. What do you say?"

Inuyasha's eyes lit up. "Really? That would be great!"

Kagome giggled as she stood up and brushed the grass from her skirt. "Well come on I have a few friends I want you to meet."

When she started to walk in the direction of the camp Inuyasha scrambled to his feet. Running he soon caught up with her. Once he did he attentively reached out and grabbed her hand. Turning around and seeing the worried look on his face she offered him a reassuring smile and gave his hand a light squeeze.

_Half breed is all I ever heard.  
Half breed; how I learned to hate the word.  
Half breed; "He's no good," they warned.  
Both sides were against me since the day I was born. _

_-Half-Breed: Cher_


	4. Introductions

**Regression**: a defense mechanism in which you flee from reality by assuming a more infantile state.

* * *

When Inuyasha and Kagome returned to the campsite everyone was curious about what was going on. So much that they chose not to comment on the fact that Inuyasha was still holding on to Kagome's hand. 

"Inuyasha this is Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara. They're my friends." Kagome pointed out each member of the group as she spoke their names. "Everyone this is Inuyasha and he'll be staying with us from now on."

The group saw the look that Kagome was giving them and so instead of asking questions they greeted Inuyasha in return. It wasn't until Inuyasha and Shippo had fallen asleep by the fire did they talk about their current situation.

"So Kagome what is wrong with Inuyasha? He isn't acting like himself at all." Sango questioned.

"Well I can't be sure but I think he's gone back to his childhood. I don't think I've told you yet but when I found him he was hanging in a tree. It looked like he was beaten with in an inch of his life by some stupid village." Kagome explained with a melancholy look in her eyes.

Now Sango was angry. "They did what!"

"Shhhh!"

"Sorry but they did that? What's wrong with them!" Sango said in a much quieter voice.

"I don't know but I think it triggered something. In his mind his mom just died and he thinks he has an older brother somewhere but he's never met him. He also believes he's seven." Seeing the looks and Sango and Miroku's questioning looks she continued. "I don't know how it works but in his mind he's a child again."

"So what are we going to do know? It's not as if we can go shard hunting with Inuyasha thinking he's the same age as Shippo. This could prove to be a big problem." Miroku pointed out.

"I think we should camp out here. I'll take Kirara and go back to my time to see if I can find out anything else once Inuyasha is comfortable with you guys." Kagome suggested. "Until then we should just treat Inuyasha as if he's a little kid. Deal with him like you would deal with Shippo or any other small child."

"I guess that could work."

"We don't really have any other options."

"Well then I'm going to bed. See you guys in the morning." Kagome said as she pulled out her own sleeping bag. She fell asleep soon after she got in.

The Next Morning

Kagome woke up to find Shippo and Inuyasha crouched next to her sleeping bag. Not expecting it she squeaked and backed up. "You scared me half to death! Why are you two just sitting there anyway?"

"Inuyasha doesn't trust Sango and Miroku yet. He insisted on staying here until you woke up. I just kept him company so he wouldn't be lonely." Shippo explained. "He seems to like me better now."

While Shippo was explaining to as why they where waiting for Kagome to wake up Inuyasha kept to himself, he did however look a little happier now that Kagome was awake. He got up and followed Kagome as she made her way over to breakfast.

Throughout the morning Inuyasha kept close by to Kagome, helping out with chores like washing dishes and packing up. He also talked with Shippo but tried to avoid Miroku and Sango. It was getting close to afternoon and he hadn't interacted with anyone besides Kagome and Shippo.

Kagome was digging through her backpack when she came across something. Pulling it out to get a better look she broke out into a grin when she realized what it was. "I didn't know I had this with me!"

"What is it Kagome?" Shippo asked as he hopped onto her shoulder. Sango and Miroku also gathered around.

Inuyasha was even curious enough to overcome some of his shyness and had come closer to the rest of the group. Peering at the small object he lifted a hand and poked it with one of his clawed fingers. It felt like cloth but it appeared to be filled with something.

"It's called a hacky-sack. It's used in a game where I live." Still seeing their confused faces she explained further. "It's simple you use you're your body to try to keep it in the air. Mainly you use your feet and try not to touch it with your hands. You can play by yourself or with a group of people. Everyone scoot back and I'll show you."

Interested to see how it worked everyone made room for Kagome. Giving it a small toss Kagome started playing. Wherever the hacky-sack was her foot was. Bouncing it off her knee, shoulder, and even her head once. After a few minutes of it not hitting the ground Kagome caught it with her hand.

"Come on everyone let's play. Gather around in a circle." Kagome motioned to everyone until they where all in the circle. "Let's practice and see how far we get. If it comes to you just try to hit it to someone else."

It took a while but soon everyone was starting it get the hang of it. They were able to keep it off the ground longer and were beginning to have fun with it. Inuyasha gradually became more comfortable around Miroku and Sango.

By the time it was dinner everyone was tired and Inuyasha had opened up. He laughed and even sat closer to Miroku and Sango, a great improvement from before. Shippo and Inuyasha were the first ones asleep. Taking a spot by the fire with a spare sleeping bag. Leaving the other three alone to talk.

"I think Inuyasha's well enough for me to make a quick trip to my time. I can take Kirara in the morning and be back by lunch. Hopefully I'll be able to find out something that'll help Inuyasha get better quicker." Kagome explained.

"Sounds good to me."

"Same here."

"Then first thing tomorrow I'll be off. I hope there's some useful information. We have to get Inuyasha back to normal as soon as possible. Who knows when Naraku or anyone else will strike again?"

_Half breed is all I ever heard.  
Half breed; how I learned to hate the word.  
Half breed; "He's no good," they warned.  
Both sides were against me since the day I was born. _

_- Half Breed: Shania Twain_


	5. Stuck to You

**Due to underlying threat of going up in flames by Roy Mustang's gloves I've decided it was about time for an update.**

* * *

Getting to her time proved to be a little harder than Kagome expected. Sure she figured that Inuyasha wound be upset but she never expected this. Though in due fairness she probably should have figured he would have a bad reaction to her leaving. But he was normally so indifferent! He only got upset when she left because the Shikon shards were still scattered. 

Everything had been fine until after breakfast. Actually everything was perfect until Kagome told Inuyasha that she was leaving for a few hours with Kirara. That's when all hell broke loose. For even if his mind was that of a small child's his body and weight were not. Not even seconds had passed after the words left her mouth did Inuyasha launch himself at her with his inhuman speed.

Now Kagome had a very upset hanyou attached to her leg. I'm sure at some point or another you've had a small child latched on to your leg and know from first hand experience how difficult it is to move around. Now imagine having a perfectly healthy, _very_ heavy teenage boy in place of a small child and you now know how Kagome feels.

The Inuyasha attached to her leg was nothing like the Inuyasha from the day before. That Inuyasha was shy and quiet (who would have thought that possible?) while this Inuyasha was more like the old hanyou the group and learned to tolerate and love. Stubborn and angry. Sure he was sad too but the prospect of being left along with almost complete strangers sent him into a panic and fury.

"Inuyasha won't you please let go?" Kagome attempted to walk with him attached but nearly ended up falling on her face. Seeing that there was no way she would pull her leg out of his grasp she tried to talk him into letting her go. "I swear I'll be back by lunch but I have to go."

"No! I want you to stay here!"

Kagome once again tried to hop out of his grasp. "I want to stay here too but I need to leave for now. Trust me I'll be back but you have to let me go."

"Just stay here!"

Kagome tried one final time to pull out of his iron grip. Just when she thought it was working she could feel herself falling backwards. Letting out a squeak she promptly landed on her butt with a dull thud. Rubbing her backside Kagome let out a sound of pain, "Owwww!"

Inuyasha still held on dutifully to Kagome's leg as she fell backwards. Now that she was on the ground Inuyasha put his full weight on her leg. He had such a grip on her leg that he pretty much insured that she wasn't getting up until Inuyasha decided to let her or they amputated it. Feeling confident that they wouldn't detach her leg from the rest of her he smiled smugly at her. "Ha! Now you have to stay with me!"

Kagome had to repeatedly remind herself that this is not the Inuyasha she knew. Taking deep breaths she talked to him. "You can't stay attached to my leg forever."

"Yes I can!"

"No you can't! You'll have to let go when you need to use the bathroom." Kagome said smugly.

"I don't have to do anything." Inuyasha looked up at her and gave her a toothy grin. Then laughed as her eyes widened and mouth dropped.

'He wouldn't dare!' Kagome thought until she saw the look on his face. That's when reality hit her. Her Inuyasha wouldn't have even come up with that but this one would do it in a heartbeat. With an extra boost of strength Kagome managed to stand upright and shake her leg frantically around. All the while thinking 'What happened to that quiet little kid that wouldn't look anyone in the eye?'

With all the hopping and moving Inuyasha hadn't lost any ground. He still had a life and death grip on Kagome. "You're not going anywhere!"

He sounded so much like his old self that Kagome had to physically restrain herself by putting her hands firmly over her mouth to keep the word from spilling out. "Siff! Siff! Siff!"

Lucking her words were muffled enough not to send Inuyasha crashing down to earth and dragging Kagome down with him. That's when she noticed that Sango, Miroku, and Shippo where all just sitting a small distance away. All clearly amused by the whole ordeal. Taking her hands off her mouth Kagome's face was flushed with anger and slight embarrassment. "Why aren't you helping me!"

"We felt that you were handling the situation well enough on your own and you didn't need our assistance." Miroku commented from the sidelines. "Besides he seems very much attached to you."

"Gee what ever gave you that idea!"

"The hanyou on you leg."

Kagome was ready to pullout her hair at this point. "How am I supposed to get back to my time to find help for Inuyasha if I can't walk without falling down! Now get your butts over here and help me out!"

Not used to have Kagome directing her anger at anyone but Inuyasha the group was shocked at having it directed at them. Thus they were easily rendered speechless and glued to their spots until…

"Now!"

After seeing Kagome bring demons, human, and half demons cowering to their feet with her anger they figured it best that they follow her orders before she really gets frustrated. You know how the saying goes 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.'

After much screaming, pulling, yanking, threats, and bribes later Inuyasha was finally detached from Kagome. Who was missing a shoe and a little dirty but other than that none the worse for wear. Inuyasha on the other hand was losing it and was relying on his last resort.

"I thought you wouldn't leave! I thought I could trust you!" Inuyasha screamed as Miroku and Sango were holding him back.

That one hurt Kagome but she didn't turn back as she hopped on Kirara. She knew if she turned back to see his hurt and angry face she wouldn't be able to leave. And she had to leave if there wanted their Inuyasha back. So without a word Kagome made her way home on the demon cat's back.

_Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt... that's a load of crap. Words are the most powerful thing you have._


	6. Panic

**A/N:** I'm sure a lot of you want to know why Kagome didn't just take Inuyasha with her and I do have an explanation for that. The old Inuyasha ran through rooms naked, annoys Kagome when she tries to study, and startles easily.

From personal experience kids tend to be extremely curious about new things and so it would just be more trouble than help if he came along. This is what I had Kagome thinking.

**

* * *

**

Kagome was very disappointed riding back on Kirara. The trip to her time was more trouble than it was worth. She had found out virtually nothing that she didn't already know about their current situation.

The only thing she really learned was that he might snap out of it on his own but the chances of that were slim. The only other option would be deep and immense therapy. Some how Kagome didn't think that one would go over too well but she'd talk it over with Sango and Miroku later. Hopefully Inuyasha was okay once she left.

"I thought you wouldn't leave! I thought I could trust you!"

Those words echoed through her mind as Kagome was being carried back to where the rest of the group was. She closed her eyes in an attempt to block out the words that rang clearly over and over again. Almost immediately her eyes flew open. The image of his face as she left was forever burned in her memory.

The anger. The pain. The panic. They were all there and they were directed at her. Those emotions were there because of her.

Suddenly she couldn't get back to the group fast enough. She needed to show Inuyasha that she hadn't abandoned him. That she was right here and wasn't going anywhere. She had really messed this one up.

Kagome didn't wait for Kirara to finish landing before hopping off her back. She rushed to where the group was sitting and franticly looked about for her companion. When she didn't find him her panic spiked slightly. "Where's Inuyasha?"

The three looked up from where they were sitting, noticing that their friend was finally back. They all looked distressed and disheveled. Sango was the fist to speak up. "We couldn't stop him. You know how strong he is and once he broke loose his speed-"

"He ran away and Kirara was with you. We couldn't catch up. We searched for hours and only stopped because we knew you would be coming back soon. If you came back and we we're all miss-" Miroku tried to finish what Sango had started.

Kagome didn't stick around to listen to the rest. Before anyone could stop her, she was running into the nearby woods. Not hearing the calls of her friends she sped through, not knowing where she was going. All she knew was that Inuyasha was missing and it was all her fault.

Running through those woods brought back a memory that she had almost forgotten. When she was twelve and Sota was eight she had taken him to a park that was near their house. He was playing on the soccer field while she was sitting on a bench finishing up some homework. After a while she noticed that there wasn't the rhythmic thumps of Sota kicking his soccer ball. Looking up Kagome was surprised to find he wasn't there.

She put her books aside and stood up. "Sota?"

When he didn't answer she got mad and started walking around. "Sota! Come on out! This isn't funny!"

After a couple of minuets and still no response Kagome started running. She circled the park calling his name. She tried to push down the wave of panic she felt. Finally she called out his full name in desperation. "Sota Kenji Higurashi! You answer me right now!"

Still no answer. Her plea echoed as she ran home, her throat tight and eyes burning. Leaving behind everything she had brought with her. Once at home she found Sota in the kitchen, he decided that he and wanted to go home and left without saying anything. Kagome had broken down right there. With her back against the wall she slide down until she was sitting. Letting loose the panic she had felt and the relief of finding him.

That desperation was back with a vengeance. Inuyasha had been missing and she wasn't there. Kagome yelled out his name just like she had with her brother so many years ago. She ran for what must have been hours but she didn't feel tired. The adrenaline was keeping her on standing and as long as she could stand she could look.

"Inuyasha! Damn it, answer me!" Her voice was hoarse and her legs were finally getting ready to give out. The only thing keeping her up was the tree she was leaning her weight on. Her throat was tightwith barely contained sobs. With all the control she could muster she yelled out, "I'm sorry! Are you happy now? I'm… s…sor..."

Kagome trailed off as collapsed on her bottom. Pulling her knees she wrapped her arms around her legs. She buried her head as her hair formed a curtain and cried.

* * *

--I have recently felt the panic of losing someone. I had taken my brother to the park and while I shot hoops he was riding around. When I hadn't heard from him I went looking. At first I was mildly annoyed but as the minuets ticked by he still wasn't found. I dropped everything and started running, yelling his full name. Turned out he had gone home. I was so relieved. Trust me when I write how Kagome reacts. -- 

_You want to scream, you want to cry.  
You want someone to tell you why;  
All the hope that's in your heart is not enough.  
You hit your knees, you shake your fists,  
Oh, it's the deepest wound there is,  
When you can't help the one you love. _

_- You Can't Help theOne you Love: Terri Clark_


	7. She Cries

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. **

**A/N: Just a reminder that he still has the mind of a child. He's suffering regression.**

* * *

After he had managed to break free Inuyasha had run as fast as he could away from them. He took comfort in the trees that he was rushing past. The forest had always been his favorite place, had always provided him with a sense of security. Now he had stopped running and was taking in his surroundings. 

They towered over him. Rising higher and higher. Inuyasha leapt up on the branches until he felt he was a safe enough distance from the ground. Only then did make himself comfortable on the large branch he was occupying.

As he sat there his mind raced. Not settling. His thought jumped form one train to another. His emotions varied depending on what though he was. He didn't know how long he sat up in the tree but when he last looked up at the sky he would have guessed at least a few hours.

Then his ears twitched as he thought he heard his name being called. After a few minuets he realized his name was being called and was getting louder every passing minuet. His nose smelt a faint sent of the girl from earlier, Kagome. The one who left. He was starting to feel the familiar constricting of his heart when he caught another sent. Salt water.

Now he was confused. Why was she crying? Was she injured?

All of a sudden the girl broke through some nearby bushes and ran past the tree he was residing in. His eyes widened at the state she was in. Her strange looking outfit was dirty and torn. Her arms and legs bore small scratches but the most painful thing for him to see was her face.

Thos blue eyes of hers were misty from tears and turning red. There were small track marks on her cheeks were some of the tears had escaped. Her breathing pattern was erratic. As if she were holding back, trying to control herself.

Quietly so she wouldn't notice him Inuyasha moved form his spot. He circled around the tree and leapt to another nearby branch so he could keep an eye on her. She only made it a few more feet before she collapsed into the trunk of a big tree.

Inuyasha was surprised she was even standing. By the way her legs and hands were trembling it was a miracle she had made it this far. She lifted up her head and that alone look like it took a lot out of her. "Inuyasha! Damn it, answer me!"

His ears pressed flat against his head. The volume and the raspy sound of her voice made his ears hurt. "I'm sorry! Are you happy now? I'm… s…sor..."

His heart fell into the pit of his stomach as he watched her slump to the ground and try to curl in upon herself. He felt the guilt rise as realization took over. She was worried about him. That desperation he had heard in her voice was for him.

He remembered those night were he had heard his mother cry. She only did it when she was alone and at night. She didn't know that he was awake and could hear through the walls.

Silently and carefully he climbed down from his branch. He walked toward her with small step, tentatively reaching out his hand. As if he feared that he might break her. Finally he was close enough and placed a hand on her shaking shoulder.

Kagome felt the hand on her shoulder and jerked her head upward. Surprise was her first response. Inuyasha was crouching down so he was eye level with her and had placed his right hand on her. His ears dropped and he looked utterly miserable looking at her. Not trusting herself to speak she placed a hand on his cheek. That touch was all she proof she needed that he really was here.

She sprang forward and hugged him tight. The relief of finding him unharmed swept through her as she tightened her hold on him.

_When she cries, at night,  
and she doesn't think that I can hear her.  
She tries, to hide,  
all the fear she feels inside.  
So I pray, this time,  
I can be the man that she deserves.  
Cause I die a little each time,  
when she cries_.

_-When She Cries: Restless Heart_


	8. Gestures of Comfort

**I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. If you're wondering where the romance is, that will come after Inuyasha snaps out of it. I'm guessing that they're people out there who like what I'm doing from the number of author alerts and favorites stories this has made. **

**And in case you're wondering yes I do realize that the last two chapters have been shorter than normal. I don't plan it that way it's just the way my writing style goes at the moment. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. **

**Also I propose a toast to loyal reviewers and un-named readers. You guys are my support beam to writing. Raises glass of milk Cheers!**

* * *

Inuyasha nearly jumped out of his skin when Kagome had wrapped his in a tight hug. The only person he ever remembered really embracing him was his mother. Unsure on how to react he let her cling to him. Not much later Kagome's grip loosened and her breathing evened out. It seemed that the emotional and physical drain from thinking she had lost him had finally taken it's toll on her. She was fast asleep. 

Now he had a problem. How was he going to get her back to camp? As if the rest of the group had read his mind Kirara appeared with Sango on her back. Thanking the demon slayer Inuyasha helped her place Kagome comfortably on the fire cat's back.

As the girls made their way through the sky, Inuyasha stuck to running on the ground. He ran underneath them and together they arrived at the camp without incident. Miroku and Shippo were overjoyed to find both Kagome and Inuyasha in good shape, though they kept it quiet so they wouldn't wake the sleeping miko.

With only slight difficulty the group had managed to put Kagome in her sleeping bag with out waking her. Once she was settled Shippo crawled in next to her and everyone else went to his or her retrospective sleeping areas. It didn't take long for everyone else to drift off.

Kagome woke up some time later and couldn't figure out why. She was dead tired but it seemed the sandman had turned in for the night. Shifting slightly shegot into a more comfortable position. She hadalmost succeeded in retuning to dreamland when a noise caused her to reopen her eyes. The sound of whimpering confused Kagome. She raised her head up slightly and tried to pin point where the whine was coming from. Her eyes widened when they landed on Inuyasha.

He had kicked open the spare sleeping bag in his sleep, so it was more like a giant blanket. He was lying on top of it with only a small corner actually covering him and from the look on his face he was having a nightmare.

After silently observing him for a few minuets Kagome made her decision. She carefully picked up her Shippo and held him close as she unzipped her sleeping bag. Once that was done she wrapped herself and the kit up then walked the relativly short distance to where Inuyasha was. Lying down behind him she covered him with part of the giant comforter and placed the little fox demon in between them.

Gingerly Kagome placed a hand on the half demon's back. Adding slight pressure she rubbed her hand up and down in what she hoped to be a comforting gesture.

When her father had died some odd years ago Sota had slept in her bed instead of his own. He would occasionally cry out in his sleep and this gesture had never failed to clam him down.

It seemed that it was a universal touch because after a few more minuets Inuyasha started calming down. Soon he wasn't whimpering and had fallen into a deeper level of sleep. Not long after that Kagome's eyes drifted shut and she joined everyone else in the realm of sleep and dreams.

_Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall…  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone _

_- Crash and Burn: Savage Garden _


	9. Off to an Odd Start

**I decided to add a little humor to lighten the mood. I can tell you right now that I enjoyed writing this chapter more than I have writing anything. By far my favorite written piece by me.**

**A/N: I really like this chapter…**

* * *

Miroku had to bite his tongue so he wouldn't comment at the sight before him. Sure he knew that Inuyasha wasn't himself at the moment but this was just too good of an opportunity to pass up. So with practiced ease he silently dug through Kagome's giant yellow bag until he came across a digital camera. 

It took a moment for him to remember how to use the strange device but it was worth the wait. He used up what was left of the film on picture of the sleeping trio. From where Miroku was standing Kagome was on his left, Shippo was in the middle as Inuyasha was sleeping peacefully on the right.

As he put the camera back he thanked Buddha that no one had woken up while he was taking pictures. He added a special thank that Sango stayed sound asleep. She would have surly knocked him unconscious for taking advantage of Inuyasha's… condition.

"What are you doing, Miroku?"

Speak of the devil.

Miroku turned around. Greeted by the face of a confused Sango. He put on his charming smile and started spinning. "Why good morning, Sango! You're looking quite radiant this morning. The early morning rays really capture-"

"Skip the theatrics. What are you doing with Kagome's bag?"

He glanced over at the open bag. "Why I was merely looking for a book that Kagome said I should read. I believe she called it The Many Loves of Casanova. She said I might find it interesting. Something about it being 'right up my alley?' Whatever that means."

"Well you should wait until Kagome's up before you go through her things." Sango commented.

"Your absolutely right. It was disrespectful of me to search without her permission." Though that sounded suspiciously incriminating to Sango, she decided to let it slid. Besides she could always beat the truth out of him later.

When Kagome woke up a little while later she found herself sleeping next to Shippo and Inuyasha. Though waking up to Shippo was nothing new waking up to Inuyasha was. She resisted the urge to pull back but lost the battle of embarrassment. Her cheeks were now turning a light red.

The events of last night slowly seeped into her mind as she started waking up. As realization dawned on her the embarrassment faded until she was calm again. With out disturbing the two she slipped out of her sleeping bag and made her way over to the already roaring fire.

"Good morning, Kagome. Did you sleep well?" Miroku asked as he kneeled down to check on the meat.

Not sure of whether it he was really curious or trying to be perverted in a sly way she decided to believe in his better half and answered truthfully. "Fine. Though I think a slept on a rock. My side hurts."

The mention of her side hurting reminded Sango of something. "Hey Kagome. How's your hand? Does it still hurt?"

"Only if I try to lift heavy things. Right now it's okay." Kagome replied as she rubbed her injured hand. Truth be told it hurt no matter what she did so she avoided using it completely. Not only did she have bite marks from Inuyasha but she had also bruised it while looking for the hanyou. She really should have noticed that branch.

Sango could tell she wasn't being truthful. Kagome was a terrible liar. Besides she had been watching her and the fact that she started using her left hand for everything hadn't escaped her notice. Neither had the slight flinch that always crossed her face whenever she used her right hand.

Sensing the disbelief Kagome attempted a convincing act. "Really I'm fine. No worries. Listen I'm going to grab some bandages and head down to the river. They're due for a changing."

"Miroku was looking through your bag earlier so things might be a little out of place." Sango warned.

The monk in question stiffened at Sango's comment.

"Oh really? What was he doing in my bag?" Kagome asked with an arched eyebrow.

"He said that you had a book for him and I guess he couldn't wait for you to get up to ask for it. Said it was about some guy named Casanova?"

"Oh right!" Kagome searched through her bag until she came across the book she had stuck in there earlier. She pulled it out and tossed it to the oddly quiet pervert. "I had completely forgotten about that. Sorry for the wait."

Miroku caught it easily with one hand. Curiosity took over and he flipped through it. "Thank you very much, Kagome. But if you don't mind me asking what is the book about? You seemed very convinced that I would enjoy it."

Kagome had once again buried herself in her backpack when Miroku had asked his question. Popping back up he held a roll of clean bandages in her left hand. "I don't really feel comfortable telling you…"

"Now you've sparked my interest. So who was this Casanova?" Miroku wasn't going to let this one go.

"Is he some great hero from your time?" Great. Just Great. Now Sango wanted to know.

"No…"

"Won't you please tell us?"

Seeing that she was fighting a losing battle and she wanted to clean out her wound Kagome caved. "Casanova was a traveler. He wandered from place to place and slept with women. His main ambition in life was to sleep with every attractive woman he saw."

Miroku's eyes widened at the blunt description of the man. He glanced from the book in his hand to the sheepish schoolgirl. He stared at her for a moment to see if she was lying. When he confirmed that she was in fact telling the truth he immediately buried himself in the pages that told Casanova's life tale.

Meanwhile Sango had trouble convincing herself that she had heard right. She gave a look to Kagome that clearly asked her if she had really said that. Kagome simply shrugged at her friend.

Somewhere deep in Sango's mind she thought, 'That's Miroku all right.' Speaking of Miroku she turned her stare towards him. Only to find the monk engrossed with the book.

Kagome left for the river. As she walked awayshe could hear the familiar sounds of Sango beating Miroku and his protests of holiness.

_No yo__u won't remember but it'll still make you laugh _

_When you see us together in a photograph still makes me laugh _

_When I see us together in a photograph _

_-Photograph: Charlie Robinson_


	10. I Win!

**Reminder: Inuyasha has the mind of a child.**

**A/N: Still the morning of the Casanova incident. Kagome's taking a bath. Sango and Miroku are preparing breakfast. Shippo and Inuyasha are awake and waiting for food.**

* * *

Shippo decided that he the liked the new much stranger Inuyasha. Being the youngest of the group wasn't all that bad. He was showered with attention and often got what he wanted. The downside was he didn't have anyone to play with. Sure Kagome and Kirara would mess around with him but they had other things to do. Most of the time he had to occupy himself. 

This backwards Inuyasha provided a playmate. As a bonus there were no more bumps and he was finally smarter than someone. Well he was smarter than the grown ups when it came to their love lives but that wasn't too hard. Adults could be so stupid when it came to the most obvious things.

"Rock. Paper. Scissors!" Shippo shouted as versed the hanyou for the fifth time in a row. "Hah! Paper covers rock, I win again!"

Inuyasha stared at his fist to Shippo's flat palm. Tilting his head to the side he looked at the kit with a confused expression. "How does paper beat rock?"

"I already told you," Shippo sighed. "It's the rules. Scissors cut paper. Rock smashes scissors. Paper covers rock."

"But why does paper win over rock?" The hanyou was not deterred. "Paper's so thin and a rock is so heavy. Wouldn't the rock be able to tear through the paper?"

"Look, I'll show you." Shippo dug through Kagome's backpack and pulled out a piece of blank paper. Grabbing a nearby rock he placed it on the paper and lifted it up. "See? The paper holds up the rock."

Not satisfied Inuyasha took the paper and rock. Tossing the paper into the air he pulled back his arm and flung the rock at the paper. A loud rip could be heard, as the torn paper fell to earth.

Grabbing the paper he shoved it under Shippo's nose. "See? The rock tears through the paper."

Well that was one way of looking at it.

Shippo decided that he didn't really want to argue and he couldn't really think of any way to counter that. "It's just the rules. I don't know why but they are. It's the way that Kagome taught me."

Inuyasha would have argued further but the fox said that Kagome herself had made those rules. Her words were good enough for him. "Oh... okay."

The two sat in silence for a few minuets before Inuyasha spoke up again. "What are 'scissors'?"

To tell you the truth Shippo didn't have the faintest idea of what they were but he didn't want to look like a fool so he quickly changed the subject. "Forget about it. I have something better than that game any way."

Naturally curious by nature Inuyasha allowed him to change the subject. "What?"

Shippo took a moment to look through the pockets of the giant yellow bag. After finding what he was looking for, he hurried over to his new friend. "This!"

Inuyasha carefully picked up the rectangular piece of strange material. Was it food? A small bite destroyed that theory. It tasted terrible.

"Hey! Don't do that!" Shippo snatched the strange item back. "Kagome said we have to be careful with it."

Inuyasha nodded seriously and waited for the kit to show him what the thing was.

"Kagome called it a gameguy or boy... something like that." Shippo explained. "You turn this switch and wait a few minutes."

Inuyasha jumped slightly when it made a noise and a picture appeared. Shippo pressed a few buttons and gave it to the hanyou.

"Now you use these to move around. You try to eat all the little yellow things but avoid the colored blobs. If you eat the blue thing it will turn the blobs blue then you can eat them." Shippo continued. "Also try to get the pieces of fruit when you can."

Inuyasha nodded in understanding and started playing.

_Can your friends do this?  
Do your friends do that?  
Do your friends pull this out their little hat?  
Can your friends go, poof?  
Well, looky here  
Can your friends go, Abracadabra, let 'er rip  
And then make the sucker disappear?_

-A Friend Like Me: Aladdin


	11. Mum's the Word

**A/N: Inuyasha has a child's mind.**

* * *

Kagome let out a yawn as she headed back to camp. After a though washing, healing salve and new clean bandages her hand felt a little better. Hopefully it would heal quickly, doing everything with her left hand was harder than she had anticipated. Finally within eye and earshot of the campsite she nearly dropped her cleaning supplies in shock and amusement.

An embarrassed and slightly angry looking Sango was putting the finishing touches on breakfast while Miroku, who had acquired some new injuries while she was away, looked as if he was trying to swoon her with some just learned Casanova charm. Though the exterminator wasn't falling at his feet she was sporting a pretty shade of pink on her cheeks. Maybe giving him that book was a mistake...

While Miroku was attempting to follow in the well-known woman adoring man's footsteps and Sango was restraining for blushing to death, Inuyasha and Shippo appeared to have gotten into a squabble of some sort. You see after being introduced to the glowing game of wonder Inuyasha had refused to give it up.

After Shippo demand his turn, Inuyasha had done what any person with his mind capacity would do. Stuck out his tongue and threw out a childish insult. Now you have to understand that Shippo has been the runt of the litter for a very long time and isn't used to being denied. So in his mind it was completely reasonable to launch himself at the hanyou in order to get the game guy.

Unfortunately for him he had forgotten that while his mind was not what it used to be his body was. So he quickly found himself thrown to the ground where he promptly landed on his butt.

Now here's a little fact that many of you probably didn't think of. Shippo is a fox demon and naturally has a tail. Landing on your butt hurts, as most know from personal experience. Landing on your tail that is attached to your butt is like hitting your tailbone or kneecap. With this in mind the rest will make a bit more sense.

With a yelp of pain said fox demon launched himself off the ground and onto the unsuspecting hanyou's head, where he firmly latched his pearly whites to the closest doggy ear. This of coarse drew out a small howl from Inuyasha, who in a moment of pain and shock dropped the game guy. Seeing an opening Shippo quickly detached himself from the ear and made a jump for the electronic game. Only to be stopped by the taller half demon grabbing his tail.

This little wrestling match quickly progressed until they were both rolling through the grass and trying to tackle the other one. Both had forgotten why they were fighting in the first place.

Enter Kagome. Stage left.

Walking past Sango and Miroku she quickly deposited her supplies next to the demon slayer. Marching over to where the two were obliviously trying to pin each other to the ground she grabbed each by the back of their shirts and yanked. Needless to say both were stunned into a stupor. One minute they were trying to kill each other the next they were looking at a peeved Kagome.

"What on earth are you two arguing about?" As the two stared at her in shock and slight shame Kagome couldn't help but be reminded of her mother when she would scold her and Sota. "Well?"

Shippo regained the ability to speak first. From his spot in the air, Kagome was holding him up by the back of his vest, he started babbling. "Wewereplayingrockpaperscissors. ThenInuyashastartedgettingconfused. SoIgotoutyourgameguyan-"

As Shippo stopped to breathe Kagome blinked in an owl like fashion. "He was confused over rock paper scissors?"

"Well he didn't understand why rock kept beating paper." Shippo said thoughtfully. "But the point is that he wouldn't let me have my turn on the gameguy even after I told him it was!"

Kagome then turned her attention to the hanyou who was sitting on the ground; she still had a firm grip on his hakama. She raised an eyebrow. "What do you have to say about this?"

"It was still my turn!" Inuyasha shouted in a childish tone as he rubbed his poor ear. "And he bit my ear."

Putting down Shippo she let go of them both and walked over the forgotten gameguy. Bending down she picked it up and waved it in their direction. "Is this what you two were fighting over?"

They nodded.

"Well then I guess I'm going to have to take it until you two can play with it without killing each other." She put it back into her backpack. She then gestured towards the morning fire. "Now come on. Breakfast is getting cold."

As the boy s ran ahead Kagome stayed behind and flexed out her right hand. 'I really shouldn't have used my injured hand to yank and hold Shippo. Now it hurts. Stupid me…'

"Hey Kagome!" Sango shouted at her preoccupied friend. "Breakfast is ready and if you don't hurry Inuyasha and Shippo are going to eat it all."

Kagome smiled and jogged over. Taking the bowl offered to her she watched as Shippo and Inuyasha shoved as much food as possible into their mouths. It seemed they had silently challenged each other to an eating contest.

Before taking her seat Kagome gave them each a light whack with her chopsticks. "Slow down and chew with the manners you were raised with!"

They both ate in much more civilized fashion.

_Mine, boys, mine every mountain  
And dig, boys, dig til ya drop  
Grab a pick, boys  
Quick, boys  
Shove in a shovel  
Uncover those lovely  
Pebbles that sparkle and shine  
It's gold and it's mine, mine, mine_

_-Mine Mine Mine: Pocahontas_


	12. A Sudden Appreciation

**I would like to dedicate this to all those loving mothers (and fathers!). Readers go give your mom and or dad a hug. Tell them you love them… go!**

Kagome was growing a new appreciation for all that her mother had ever done. She also mentally apologized for every bad thought, cross word, and any negativity she had ever directed in her mother's general direction.

She stopped walking with her bicycle and turned her head around so she could see Shippo and Inuyasha. She immediately wished she hadn't. "Would you two cut it out! If I have to come over there it's not going to be a pleasant experience for anyone!"

Shippo reluctantly detached himself from Inuyasha's ear while the hanyou released his hold on the kit's tail. He landed with an oomph onto the ground and Inuyasha gently massaged his aching ear.

With a satisfied nod Kagome continued walking ahead with Miroku and Sango, who were discussing the monk's newest tactics for picking up women.

As soon as the young girl's back was turned, Shippo stuck his tongue out at the much taller boy. In retaliation he too stuck out his tongue but he also pulled down his eyelid. Taking it as a challenge the young kit pulled at the sides of his mouth. Inuyasha was never one to run from a dare no matter how petty.

"I thought I told you two to cut it out!" The two in question quickly looked up to find Kagome still looking straight ahead. She hadn't turned around at all. "Stop making faces at each other."

They stopped walking and settled for staring stupidly at the back of her head.

Once again with out stopping for a moment she said, "Quit dragging your feet and hurry up. You're going to be left behind if you don't get moving."

They both shot each other disbelieving looks.

"What are you waiting for? Move it!"

Kagome's annoyed tone quickly had them moving until they were standing with the rest of the group. Inuyasha walked slightly behind her while Shippo gave a little hop so he was on her shoulder. "How'd you know we were making faces at each other? You never looked back us."

The miko said the first thing that came to her mind. "I have eyes in the back of my head."

Shippo's eyes widened and he looked over at Inuyasha who also looked shocked. Scrambling until he was perched on top of her head he bent forward so that his tail was straight up in the air in front of Kagome's face. Digging his little paws in her hair he separated it.

He carefully examined the back of her head. "I don't see any eyes."

"You're looking too high." Inuyasha stated as he started parting her hair. "Her eyes wouldn't be that high up. They'd be much lower than that."

"Well, you're looking too low. They'd be much higher than that." Shippo moved a different spot of hair.

As Shippo and Inuyasha argued over whether or not the eyes in the back of her head would be higher or lower Kagome let out a groan. She just had to open her big mouth. The prickly feeling of knowing someone's watching you crept down her spine. Looking around she found Sango and Miroku staring at her.

Sango had a look that was part wanting to help her friend, part amusement. Miroku's smirk was further proof that he was enjoying her current predicament way more than he should. "Isn't that a heart warming sight? It's like a big happy family of monkeys."

Kagome smiled as Sango cuffed him upside the head in her defense. After all in a group full of testosterone the girls had to look out for one and other.

As Kagome had her hair picked at she couldn't help but think of her mother. Did she go things like this when she and Sota were younger? Were they this much of a hassle? She suddenly had a newfound respect for her mother. If she got out of this with all her hair securely attached to her head she'd clean her room, do her homework with out complaint, and eat off her vegetables.

"Ow! Don't pull at the hair!"

The key word in that scentence was **_if_**.

_I'm a mother, I'm a lover  
A chef, a referee  
I'm a doctor, and a chauffeur  
Seven days a week  
I ain't asking for a medal  
Yeah I know you work too  
I'd just like a little credit  
Where credit is due_

_-Full Time Job: Gretchen Wilson_


End file.
